The Haute Route, is the name given to a route undertaken on foot or by ski
touring between Chamonix in France and Zermatt in Switzerland.
First charted as a summer mountaineering route by members of the English Alpine
Club in the mid-19th century, the route takes around 12+ days walking for the
180 km from the Chamonix valley, home of Mont Blanc, to Zermatt, home of the
Matterhorn. Originally dubbed "The High Level Route" in English by members of
the hiking club, the term was translated into French when first successfully
undertaken on skis in 1911. Since then the French term has prevailed. While the
term haute route has become somewhat genericized for any of the many
multi-day, hut-to-hut alpine tours, the "Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route" remains
the original. Besides the original Haute Route, there
is nowadays also a "walkers" Haute Route, which is an alpine hiking trail
that follows a network of well-marked and signposted paths. The "walkers"
route stays below 3000 meters and takes advantage of the popular mountain huts
and small inns and hotels in the villages along the way. In the spring,
summer and fall, this route is safe, entirely non-technical and while
challenging because of its daily elevation gains and distances, is
achievable by any hiker in reasonably good physical condition.
The original Haute Route has large portions of glacier travel, for which
suitable mountaineering gear and experience is necessary. In the winter,
ski touring gear is required, and depending upon the weather and route
chosen, may require crampons, ropes and avalanche protection gear.
Walking Haute Route There is occasionally a danger of
collapsing glaciers which can render the path virtually impassable. However, a
lower level variation exists that avoids crossing glaciers.
Ski Touring Haute Route First successfully completed in 1911,
The Haute Route ski tour is probably the most famous and coveted ski tour in the
world. Using high mountain huts to allow skiers to stay high and cover
substantial distances, it winds through the highest, most dramatic peaks of the
Alps from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn. It requires good weather, favourable
snow conditions and strong effort to complete this line. Because of this,
roughly half of the skiers who begin the tour do not complete it.
There are many variations of the HLR that work their way between Chamonix and
Zermatt, including those listed below. It is also possible to add ascents of a
number of ski peaks to any of the routes. The winter Haute Route deviates
from the summer route to avoid terrain that is dangerous or impassable when
snow covered. Many people also ski the Haute Route in the opposite direction,
by variations that select better ascent and descents.
Lionel Claudepierre, a member of PGHM of Bourg Saint Maurice, set a new record of
18h35m on Monday 15 April 2013. = Classic Route=
The winter Haute Route's original line which involves long climbs and
mountaineering with ice axe and crampons.
Day 1: Argentiere village, France, over the Col du Chardonnet and the Fenêtre du
Saleina to the Trient Hut. Day 2: Champex-Lac via the Val
d'Arpette. Bus or taxi to Bourg-Saint-Pierre.
Day 3: Long climb up to the Valsorey Hut on the shoulder of Grand Combin.
Day 4: Over the Plateau du Couloir and down the Glacier du Mont Durand to the
Chanrion Hut. Day 5: A long climb up the Otemma
Glacier to the Vignettes Hut. Day 6: A long day to Zermatt over the
Col de l'Evêque, Col du Mont Brulé and Col de Valpelline, then a long descent
under the shoulder of the Matterhorn and Dent d'Herens.
Day 7: Optional extension to Saas-Fee over the Adler Pass.
= Verbier Variation= The purest skiing line, and the most
frequently done. Day 1: Argentière, France, over the Col
du Chardonnet and the Fenêtre du Saleina to the Trient Hut.
Day 2: Champex-Lac via the Val d'Arpette. Bus or taxi to Verbier and
the Mont Fort Hut. Day 3: Over the Rosablanche to the
Prafleuri Hut. Day 4: Around Dixence reservoir and up
to the Dix Hut. Day 5: Over the Pigne d'Arolla to the
Vignettes Hut. Day 6: A long day to Zermatt over the
Col de l'Evêque, Col du Mont Brulé and Col de Valpelline, then a long descent
under the shoulder of the Matterhorn and Dent d'Herens.
Day 7: Optional extension to Saas-Fee over the Adler Pass.
= Grande Lui variation= A longer, harder, more technical route
that eliminates the road break of the Verbier and Classic variations.
Day 1: Argentiere village, France, over the Col du Chardonnet and the Fenêtre du
Saleina to the Trient Hut or down to the Bivouac Dorés.
Day 2: Over the Grande Lui through the Col du Saleina or around it via the
Swiss Three Cols and a long descent to the village of La Fouly.
Day 3: Up the Val Ferret and over to Grand St. Bernard Hospice.
Day 4: Down to Great St Bernard Pass and over the shoulder of Mont Vélan to the
Vélan Hut. Day 5: Up the Grand Combin and over the
Plateau du Couloir, down the Glacier du Mont Durand to the Chanrion Hut.
Day 6: A long non-technical climb up the Otemma Glacier or a stiffer climb over
Les Portons to the Vignettes Hut. Day 7: A long day to Zermatt over the
Col de l'Evêque, Col du Mont Brulé and Col de Valpelline, then a long descent
under the shoulder of the Matterhorn and Dent d'Herens.
Day 8: Optional extension to Saas-Fee over the Adler Pass.
= "Backward" Haute Route= Day 1: From Zermatt under the Matterhorn
up to the Schonbiel Hut. Day 2: Over the Col de Valpelline and up
to the Bertol Hut. Day 3: Down then up over Col Collon to
the Vignettes Hut. Day 4: Over the Pigne d'Arolla and down
Les Portons to Chanrion Hut. Day 5: Across the Otemma Gorge, up &
over into the Aosta Valley. Hitchhike to La Palud.
Day 6: Ride the lift to the Vallée Blanche. Descend to Montenvers and ski
or take the cog train out to Chamonix. = Peaks and passes on the route=
See the route descriptions. Optional ski peak ascents along the
listed Haute Route variations include the Mont Blanc, Rosablanche, Pigne
d'Arolla, Mont Blanc de Cheilon, Mont Vélan, Breithorn. Some of these peak
ascents will require an additional day or more, and range from easy to very
technical and difficult. See also
Swiss Alps Notes
References Cliff, Peter. Haute Route
Chamonix-Zermatt: Guide for Skiers and Mountain Walkers. Menasha Ridge Press.
ISBN 1-871890-21-7. Reynolds, Kev. Chamonix - Zermatt: The
Walker's Haute Route, 4th Edition. Milnthorpe, UK: Cicerone. ISBN
1-85284-513-9. Updates are available on the publisher's website.
Stewart, Alexander. The Walker's Haute Route: Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn.
Hindhead, UK: Trailblazer Publications. ISBN 1-905864-08-6.
Further reading Waeber, Michael. Haute Route de Chamonix
a Zermatt/Saas Fee. Rother. ISBN 3-7633-5998-2. .. Also published in
German as Haute Route: Von Chamonix nach Zermatt/Saas Fee, ISBN 3-7633-5919-2.
External links Information on The Haute Route: Videos,
guided and self-guided trips The Haute Route: Chamonix – Zermatt
2009. Winter trip report with photos – English
Haute Route Chamonix – Zermatt – General presentation and detailed routes –
French Walker's Haute Route 2005 – trip report
and PHOTOS Walker's Haute Route Trip Report from
2010 – English Kev Reynolds Writer of The Walker's
Haute Route Google Earth file of Haute Route
features. Swiss Topo maps. The 1:25,000 series are
very detailed, but too bulky to use as field maps for long tours. 5003: Mont
Blanc – Grand Combin and 5006: Matterhorn – Mischabel cover the summer
Haute Route. The winter Haute Route and its variations are covered by the
following 1:50,000 maps which include ski-touring routes in red:
282 S Martigny 1:50,000 283 S Arolla 1:50,000
284 S Mischabel 1:50,000 [includes Saas Fee extension & Zermatt day-tours]